


Synthetic Kisses

by GaHoolianGirl



Series: The Technical Specifications of Love [5]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Because as I always say FRIENDS MAKE THE BEST LOVERS, Data Has Android Emotions, Dialogue Heavy, Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Kissing, Low on hurt high on comfort, M/M, Other, Short & Sweet, So if you have a fluff itch it's here to scratch, This is just a short 'lil fluffy thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26963242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaHoolianGirl/pseuds/GaHoolianGirl
Summary: “Data, it’s never your fault when people are making fun of you. If you aren’t hurting anyone, it’s always on them for laughing at other people. You were just being you, and I think you’re pretty great.”“The sentiment is noted and appreciated, Geordi. However, you have made an incorrect assumption. I am not concerned for myself. As you have noticed, I was not embarrassed, and have learned that in order to operate efficiently in a social context, I need only to prioritize the opinions of those closest to me. The issue I have is in regards to the effect of their actions on you.”“Me?”“You were their main target of ridicule, if you are correct about their intentions. I was manipulated to cause you harm.”“Data...”Data and Geordi have an unfortunate interaction in Ten Forward, and chat about it back in Data's quarters.
Relationships: Data/Geordi La Forge
Series: The Technical Specifications of Love [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970848
Comments: 17
Kudos: 124





	Synthetic Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there guys! This was written out on paper again first, which I have found an effective way to get me out of a block. That's why this is so short, because it's harder on your hands to write 6 pages than type 6 pages lol. This was based off a dialogue prompt thoughtfully provided by a bud.

“That was embarrassing.”

The moment the door to Data’s quarters slid shut behind them, Geordi pulled his VISOR off, sighing in relief at the freedom from both visual input and his headache- which has gotten considerably worse after their disaster of an evening. Data gently took it from him, and he could hear it being placed into the table.

“Indeed. That was not a satisfactory conclusion to such an event.”

Geordi scoffed, “‘Not a satisfactory conclusion’? One thing you’re _really_ good at is understatement, Data.”

There was the soft shuffle of Data’s heavy footfalls as he approached Geordi, “Thank you.”

Oh.

He thought it was a compliment.

Suddenly full of guilt, Geordi shook his head, “I’m sorry,” he could practically feel the head tilt that followed, “It just stressed me out. I don’t handle being interrogated like that all that well. It felt so... _invasive._ ”

“That nature of the questions were quite personal.”

“Yeah. I think I’m justified in qualifying ‘what's it like to kiss synthetic lips’ as crossing a line.”

As he spoke, Geordi made his way over to the replicator, the familiar space more than easy for him to navigate. He ordered a glass of room temperature water, feeling the hydration improve his mood almost immediately.

Data’s, however, seemed to have dropped.

“My apologies. Because I had continued to engage them, you are upset. I should not have done that.”

Now that his head had cooled, Geordi’s heart clenched. He was right to be upset, he felt, and Data probably shouldn’t have done that, but _he_ also made no move to stop it, and it was unfair of him to assume that Data would pick on cues that Geordi himself knew weren’t very obvious at the time.

“Look- you’re right, that wasn’t the best call you could have made. But I’m not mad at _you._ You were just being your normal, honest self. Something they were taking advantage of.”

“I was being taken advantage of?”

“I would say you were. Once they picked up that I wasn’t going to reply, they aimed the more uncomfortable questions at you, knowing that if they worded them politely enough, you’d answer. And I _doubt_ it was with good intentions, from the sound of their voices, they were making fun of us.”

“Ah.”

That sound right there, that was one of the first clues he ever had that Data had his own form of emotions since day one. There was enough sadness in that one syllable to bring a man to tears.

Geordi was sorely tempted.

Somehow, in the span of a few minutes, he had gone from the distressed one to the one comforting, reaching out a hand to place on Data’s shoulder. He was pretty good at gauging where people were relative to his position, but he was fairly certain that the android had placed himself exactly arm’s length from Geordi.

“Data, it’s never _your_ fault when people are making fun of you. If you aren’t hurting anyone, it’s always on them for laughing at other people. You were just being you, and I think you’re pretty great.”

“The sentiment is noted and appreciated, Geordi. However, you have made an incorrect assumption. I am not concerned for myself. As you have noticed, I was not embarrassed, and have learned that in order to operate efficiently in a social context, I need only to prioritize the opinions of those closest to me. The issue I have is in regards to the effect of their actions on you.”

“Me?”

The glass of water was lifted from his hand and placed on the table, probably right beside his VISOR, and a pair of mechanical hands took its place in his.

“You were their main target of ridicule, if you are correct about their intentions. I was manipulated to cause you harm.”

“Data...” Geordi leaned in to rest against his partner’s chest, reveling in the steady, unnaturally even thumps of his artificial heart, “I’m okay, really. Learning from your experiences is a speciality of yours, right? Now we know what to avoid.”

“I will endeavor to ensure that it is not a repeat occurrence.”

As he felt whenever Data said _anything,_ Geordi was certain that he meant it with absolute certainty. Armed with that knowledge, he pulled back and tilted his head up for a kiss, immediately receiving one just as he predicted.

“That’s all I can ask,” he smiled, recalling the last few moments of the exchange, “And I’ll admit, seeing how flustered they were when you ask them how it felt when two flesh lips kissed was pretty nice.”

“I was not attempting to make a joke, but I am satisfied if it amused you,” he paused, head twitching in the way it always did to indicate he made a spontaneous calculation, “You did not consume very much. Would you like me to replicate you a meal before we prepare for sleep?”

Geordi nodded, keeping silent on the fact that he had stopped eating from embarrassment- Data has been upset enough, “Something light, maybe a soup?”

“Very well.”

Data broke contact to move to the replicator, and Geordi took a seat at the small dining table.

“Chicken soup, seventy one degrees celsius.”

Geordi’s smile widened.

Those gossips wanted to know what it was like to be with an android? It was being with a person that knew you liked your soup on the hot side, down to the degree. Someone who could tell you were overworked by the speed of your fingers. Someone who loved you with every circuit he had.

“Say, Data,” he began when the other returned, placing the hot bowl down in front of him, “You’re more than worth it, you know? I’d be with you even if everyone was like that.”

“While I would not like for you to be constantly unhappy, that is... gratifying to hear.”

“I love you.”

“Within my defined parameters, I love you as well.”

As they kissed to seal the deal, Geordi decided that kissing synthetic lips was very, _very_ nice.•

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought!


End file.
